Euphoria: TVs Most Controversial Drama Unveiled

It's been over four years since the troubled teens of East Highland High School were last on the box.

Now, is back on Sunday for its third and potentially final season, after it became one of the most-watched series in all of HBO's history, earning 25  nominations and nine wins. 

The show's plot involves vivid depictions of teen addiction, identity and sexuality, as well as candid portrayals of mental illness. 

But the controversies haven't only been over what's happening on screen.

Since landing on our screens back in 2019, there's been no shortage of feuds, shock departures and scandals. 

From alleged set storm-offs to cast fall-outs, the Daily Mail takes a look back at all the controversies. 

Sydney Sweeney labelled a 'MAGA Barbie'

In 2022, Sydney faced backlash after sharing photos from her mother's birthday featuring guests in MAGA-inspired hats.

The Euphoria star shared snaps from the party to her Instagram, one of which featured a male partygoer wearing what appeared to be a Blue Lives Matter shirt – and another partygoer wearing a MAGA parody hat.

'You guys this is wild. An innocent celebration for my moms milestone 60th birthday has turned into an absurd political statement, which was not the intention,' Sydney wrote on X.

'Please stop making assumptions. Much love to everyone ❤️ and Happy Birthday Mom!' she concluded.

Then in 2025, she found herself in hot water again after she featured in an American Eagle jeans campaign.

It showed her promoting various denim styles under the tagline 'great jeans' (a play on 'genes').

The ad provoked a social media meltdown as frenzied critics compared it to 'Nazi propaganda' for playing on the phrase 'good genes' with a blonde, blue-eyed star.

In the wake of the backlash, reports emerged that the actress was a registered Republican, prompting howls of condemnation from left-leaning fans while US President Donald Trump joked: 'Now I love her ad.'

In a January 2026 interview, Sydney stated: 'I've never been here to talk about politics. I've always been here to make art.' 

Barbie Ferreira's exit 

Barbie announced in 2022 that she would be leaving Euphoria and would not be returning for the third season. 

The actress and model, who played Kat Hernandez in the first and second seasons, had fans speculating that she had walked off the set after a feud between her and show-runner Sam Levinson.

A fan on X accused Sam of being unprofessional, writing, 'Sam apparently wanted to give Kat an ED and Barbie left the set so he cut out a bunch of her scenes'.

However, Barbie soon clapped back at the rumours about how she left the show during an episode of The Viall Files.  

She said: 'I never walked off set. There was never anything like that.

'That was a whole thing. I absolutely never did that. You could ask the hundreds of people that were there every day. Fan theories are crazy, and most of the time, they're not right.'

She added that leaving the show was 'a mutual decision'.

'Everyone decided that there was nowhere to go,' she said.

'Because I'm like, what am I gonna do? But again with acting, things just happen all the time, and you have to have thick skin and just make the right decisions for you and your career. And it was hard. 

'I was really young, and it was just tough, obviously.'

Louis Tomlinson did 'not approve' of the animated Harry Styles sex scene 

Louis said that he didn't approve of a TV scene in the series which showed his former One Direction co-star Harry performing a sex act on him. 

In the show, character Kat Hernandez writes a story about 'Larry Stylinson' – the name used in fan fiction imagining a relationship between them.

It featured an animated sequence which showed the singers involved in a sexual act.

Taking to X, Louis revealed to a fan that no one had contacted him before the scene was shown in the series. 

One fan named Hannah (@backtoyoulouis) said: 'just going to sit and hope that they for some reason approved it because surely they had to to get it aired harry seems quite friendly with the people involved but u can just TELL louis' not gonna like it.' 

Louis responded, stating: 'I can categorically say that I was not contacted nor did I approve it.' 

Claims of drug glamorisation 

In 2022, DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) said in a statement that they were worried about Euphoria 'misguidedly glorifying and erroneously depicting high-school student drug use'. 

The organisation specifically expressed concern over how Rue's (played by Zendaya) addiction journey and road to sobriety were shown.

However, Zendaya reacted to the concern in a statement to Entertainment Weekly, which read: 'Our show is in no way a moral tale to teach people how to live their life or what they should be doing.

'If anything, the feeling behind Euphoria, or whatever we have always been trying to do with it, is to hopefully help people feel a little bit less alone in their experience and their pain. 

'And maybe feel like they're not the only one going through or dealing with what they're dealing with.'

The actress reflected on having 'a lot of people reach out' about the show, offering them similarities to their own lives.

Zendaya and Sydney's 'bitter feud'

Back in November 2025, the Daily Mail revealed that Zendaya was refusing to do press calls with her co-star for the upcoming third season.

We also reported that the reason why they were refusing to refusing to stand near each other at events was because of their different political views.

An insider told the Daily Mail: 'It's no wonder she's refusing to do it. 

'It's a difficult position for Zendaya to be in because if she even stands next to Sydney on the red carpet, it can be read as her excusing Sydney's views on Trump and her refusal to apologise for the racist ad.'

The pair were once close friends, with Sweeney affectionately referring to her co-star as 'Z'. 

Zendaya and Sydney set social media alight after a frosty appearance on the red carpet at the Euphoria premiere last week.

The duo graced the red carpet at the TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX cinema alongside their co-stars, however Zendaya, 29, made it clear no love was lost between the pair as she dodged the Trump-lover on the red carpet.

Whispers of a feud have been long-standing between the pair, after it was alleged that Sydney had set her sights on Tom Holland - who Zendaya is said to have married earlier this year - as well as her polarising politics.

Social media was set alight with response to the alleged snub, as a video circulated showing Zendaya chatting warmlly with Hunter Schafer, while ignoring Sydney.

It was previously reported that Sydney, 28, had liked Twitter posts calling Tom 'hot' while sources claimed: 'There were tensions way back. It was an open secret that Sydney had the hots for Tom and was flirty with him when he would come to set.'

'Toxic' work environment

In 2022, The Daily Beast published an investigation with multiple allegations of a 'toxic work environment' on the set of Euphoria. 

It included various anonymous members of the production team coming forward with complaints of long working hours, violations of SAG-AFTRA rules and injuries on set.

Jacob Elordi added fuel to the allegations when he spoke about the New Year's Eve party scene in Season 2. 

He told Thrillist: 'The thing is, we do it for so long. 

'We shot that party for over a week, so very quickly it's like being in Hell. It's like being in a party that you don't want to be in. At all. And you can't wait [to leave].'

Jacob walked back his own remarks, telling British GQ: 'When I'm working with Sam, I'm in the trenches with him, and I trust him, and I work myself to the bone for him. 

'I think I've read people saying, "Look, that's a bad image to set, you shouldn't have to work yourself to the bone for art", F–k that. I enjoy it.'

According to The Daily Beast, extras had to wait more than six hours for food breaks and long times to go to the restroom, as well as not having any appropriate holding areas between shots where to sit.

soon released a statement denying the claims, saying 'the well-being of cast and crew on our productions is always a top priority'.

It said: 'The production was in full compliance with all safety guidelines and guild protocols. 

'It's not uncommon for drama series to have complex shoots, and COVID protocols add an additional layer. 

'We maintain an open line of communication with all the guilds, including SAG-AFTRA. There were never any formal inquiries raised.'

Excessive nudity 

Throughout seasons one and two of Euphoria, the series was widely criticised for featuring excessive, often unnecessary and graphic nudity.

One particular moment in season one featured a whopping 30 penises. 

Some TV critics and organisations like the US' Parents Television and Media Council called for all nude teen scenes to be removed.

The complaint was soon raised within Euphoria's own ranks.

Sydney, who plays Cassie, recalled telling Euphoria creator Sam to remove an 'unnecessary' topless scene, while Alexa Demie, who portrays Maddy, described going nude as 'tough'.

Sydney was frequently shirtless in Season 1, and by Season 2, she felt like it was not always necessary.

'There are moments where Cassie was supposed to be shirtless, and I would tell Sam, "I don't really think that's necessary here", she recalled in a January 2022 interview with The Independent. 

'He was like, "OK, we don't need it", I've never felt like Sam has pushed it on me or was trying to get a nude scene into an HBO show. When I didn't want to do it, he didn't make me.'

Zendaya and Sam Levinson's 'strained relationship'

Zendaya and creator Sam have an allegedly 'strained relationship' after he 'turned his attention to controversial show The Idol' instead of Euphoria's hyped third season.

The actress has reportedly been at odds with the showrunner after he spent more time working on the 2023 series starring Lily Rose Depp and The Weeknd while he was occupied with Euphoria's second season.

An investigation by The Hollywood Reporter claims Zendaya's 'frustration grew' after Sam failed to deliver scripts for Euphoria's third season, and that the actress asked for a meeting with HBO's head of drama Francesca Orsi and CEO Casey Bloys.

It was claimed she was 'demanding to know why the network allowed Samto turn his attention to another show — an HBO show, no less — with Euphoria hanging in the balance'.

Zendaya and Levinson had at first been close pals, but their alleged rift heightened in March 2023 after Rolling Stone published an article claiming The Idol had gone 'disgustingly, disturbingly off the rails' with a toxic work environment.

The show was regularly criticised by both fans and critics alike for the many gratuitous sex and masturbation scenes peppered throughout the series – and was branded 'torture porn'.

The series – which was cancelled after just one season – saw Zendaya allegedly the target of fan backlash over the project, and the star was said to be upset over it marring her 'pristine image'.

An executive who has worked with the star said 'fans were turning against Sam' and 'urging Zendaya to distance herself'.

Months later, there was another meeting with Zendaya, Sam, Casey and Francesca in an alleged bid for reconciliation – but a source involved with the show said: 'They went from being so close, and they couldn't fix it.'